Chicago1

Hey guys my driver side headlight is acting weird all of a sudden. Last night I turned the lights on then when it was time to turn them off they went down but the driver side went halfway back up. The passenger side went down fine. No weird sounds and I replaced both motor gears with the brass unit awhile back. What could it be now?


I also replaced the headlamp control module at the same time I did the brass gears since my stock one took a crap. When the stocker went out the passenger light worked fine but the driver would go up but not down. I don't think it's the module again but it was used so who knows.

Chicago1

I may have the answer so let me know if anyone has any input. Mine is a 01 not sure if that matter?



Heres the fix:

Number: 00-08-42-002
Subject: Left Headlamp Door Does Not Stay Closed (Shim Headlamp Door Motor/Actuator and Replace Insulators)
Model Year: 2000 Chevrolet Corvette

Condition
Some customers may comment that the left front headlamp door does not remain closed after the headlamps are turned off. Others may comment
that the left headlamp door closes when the headlamps are turned off, but then reopens. In either case, the right headlamp door operates properly.

Correction
Important
The following information applies to the left front headlamp door motor/actuator only. It does not apply to and should not be performed on the right front headlamp door motor/actuator.

[IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v221/DeeGee/TSBImage.jpg
[/IMG]

Install one washer (2) between the left headlamp door motor/actuator (1) and the mounting bracket (3) at each of the three attaching bolt locations. Also replace the
insulator (4) on each of the two mounting bracket travel stop tabs (5) as shown. For information on headlamp motor/actuator removal, see the Headlamp Motor/Actuator
Replacement procedure in the Lighting sub-section of Body & Accessories in the appropriate Service Manual.

Parts Information
Part Number Description Qty Per Vehicle
11505463 Washer 3
16524060 Insulator 2

byronhunter

That's it, easy fix!!!!

Chicago1

Winner winner chicken dinner. I was chasing what I thought was a electrical issue and it was the bottom tab. Swapped it out and gtg. Love this forum

byronhunter

Chicago1, get you Three washers from the hardware store and shim it if you don't want it to happen again!

Chicago1

I looked some more looks like when I changed out the gear for the brass one last year it didn't completely seal. The housing is starting to come apart. Jb weld next time.

Chicago1

Thanks I'm gonna try that when I pull the headlamp motor this weekend to seal it.

lionelhutz

When you pull that plastic stop off there is a metal tab underneath. It's best if the arm hits that metal tab. If it is missing the tab then put a washer or even multiple washers on the bolts to space the motor over until it hits the tab. Otherwise, the arm mashes the plastic stop and eventually passes by the end of the metal tab.

There is at least one gear that now comes with a metal piece to hold the motor together. I'd check and see if you could get that piece.

Peter

IRON MAIDEN

Different conditions I'm having but I will try the spacer washers and check the insulators.
Mine just won't open sometimes unless I manually turn the **** a tad to loosen the motor up.

Plasticman

Mine opens .... eventually. Typically it takes 2 tries (of the switch) and then the driver's side will pop up. Pass. side functions properly.

Plasticman

IRON MAIDEN

Embarrassing

martinsw

Iron Maiden, Did you ever figure out what was causing your problem. I am having the same problem on pass side, after putting in the metal gear to replace the after run problem. When I put the metal gear in the motor, seems I didn't tighten the actuator arm enough on the motor shaft, after a few days the door started popping back up an inch or so. The loose arm tore up the close stop, I retightened the arm, flipped the stop over and glued it on, now it closes really tight and doesn't want to come up much of the time. If I turn the **** a tab as you do to loosen the motor, it works (the **** is closed much tighter than the driver side, which still works correctly).

I figure the motor is closing too tight and the overcurrent circuit to shut down the relay driving the motor sees too much current when trying to raise, and shuts down. Figure I will try new stops and see if it helps.

bigoutside

Thank you thank you thank you.

This is outstanding. I did the brass gear retro this winter and saved myself $1600 over what the dealer was going to charge me for the headlight replacement. I bot the ones with the reinforcing bracket. They worked great!

Yesterday, my left headlamp starts fluttering. I turn the headlamps off and it goes up and down up and down up and down and up and down and then stops about two inches from shut.

I could have cried.

I haven't visited this forum since winter. What a great post this is.

I fixed it a little differently. I pulled the white plastic bumper off and turned it upside down and pressed it back on on the stud.

The edge that has been struck from the headlamp going up and down had knocked a chunk loose over the past 9 years.

Works fine now.

Cost of repair? About 3 minutes of time.

Again, Thank you.

rmarks

I replaced mine with the flush headlights. Looks cool. Less air resistance. No problems. But it cost about $1000.

martinsw

Fixed lights are nice, but too $$ for me right now.

I am convienced I have found my problem - the white plastic bumper that I flipped over had also worn totally through on the back side, so the metal arm on the motor was again hitting the metal stop with no 'buffer' in between. My white stop WAS in really bad shape after being mangled when the arm was not fully seated to the motor shaft (see prior post a couple back).

I had a hard time finding the little white plastic bumpers (gm discontinued them) so I just cut a ~ 1/2" long piece of rubber hose (~ 3/8" od and ~1/8" id) I had laying around and put in on the metal stop with some adhesive. Fingers crossed, but it has been working great for a couple of weeks. I have not yet physically inspected the hose-stop bumper- to see if it is wearing quickly or not. The rubber (or white plastic stop) allow the system to sense some resistance (but with give) when nearing the stop, so the circuit that senses the motor current has time to shut it down, by openning the relay, before driving the gear really hard. I am convinced this is the situation - I may have to find a better 'stop' if my rubber hose wears out too fast.

Nathan Rockford

Thanks for the post my 2002 is doing this as well.

C5-JK-RT

mine just started doing this as well - I swapped a couple of bumpers around as they were pretty worn and its cured. I did go ahead and order a replacement set off of ebay to replace the mangled bumpers
https://www.ebay.com/itm/C5-Corvette...3d9b%7Ciid%3A1

IRON MAIDEN

Old thread. Yeah, the bumpers were my issue. I modified mine to get the motor to stop quicker. With the worn bumpers, it tightens up the worm gear too tight.

striper

Go to www.rodneydickman.com for the answers to C5 headlight problems. He sells all the parts you'll need to fix them.